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Polish Opening: Grigorian Variation — play it as Black
After 1.b4 Nc6, White must make an early decision, and that is exactly where your drill starts. The position is already slightly better for White, so your job is not to “solve” the opening with one trick — it is to stay calm, meet the most common plans, and punish loose play. Focus on the move the engine prefers, know which replies drift into trouble, and get used to the structure that follows when White chooses the main continuations.
Play the Polish Opening: Grigorian Variation against the engine
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Create a free account →What the engine wants here
Stockfish rates this +0.26, a small edge for White. That means you are slightly worse here.
The engine’s best move is a3, and the suggested continuation is a3 d5 Bb2 a6. For a Black player, that is a useful clue: keep your setup compact, answer White’s queenside space, and do not waste tempi hunting for a speculative attack. In this opening, steady development and sensible central play matter more than flashy ideas.
White’s most common choices
The database shows that White has several natural tries, but one move appears far more often than the others. Across 105,587 games at this exact position, the most-played continuation is b5 with 67,750 games, and White scores 56.1% there.
Other common choices are Bb2 with 15,661 games, a3 with 14,413 games, c3 with 2,970 games, Ba3 with 1,309 games, and Nc3 with 917 games. As Black, you should be ready for a broad range of setups, but the key practical point is simple: White’s active queenside play is common, so your development needs to stay coordinated.
Moves that give White extra comfort
The database and engine both point to a clear practical theme: some White moves are simply too slow or too loose here. Bb2 is a mistake, and c3 is an inaccuracy. Ba3 is also a mistake.
The useful part for your drill is not memorising labels, but learning the habit behind them. When White spends time on a move that does not improve coordination, you want to respond with straightforward development and central presence. The engine’s recommendation of a3 is your reminder that White can keep the position under control if you let them settle freely.
What the numbers say about the position
This exact position has been played 105,587 times in the Lichess database. White wins 53.3%, draws 4.4%, and Black wins 42.3%.
Those figures match the engine’s verdict: White has the more comfortable position, but Black is not lost. That is a useful practical distinction. You are playing from a slightly worse starting point, yet there is plenty of room to make the game playable if you choose sensible moves and avoid helping White’s queenside initiative.
Results across 105,587 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| b5 | 67,750 | 56.1% |
| Bb2 | 15,661 | 50.3% |
| a3 | 14,413 | 54.7% |
| c3 | 2,970 | 41.2% |
| Ba3 | 1,309 | 36.7% |
| Nc3 | 917 | 20.4% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Polish Opening: Grigorian Variation good for Black?
It is playable, but the starting position is already a small edge for White. You should expect to work a little harder for equality rather than count on an opening advantage.
What is the best move for Black after 1.b4 Nc6?
The engine’s best move in the resulting position is a3, and the suggested continuation is a3 d5 Bb2 a6. That gives you a clear practical reference for the drill.
Which White moves should I watch for most?
The most-played continuation is b5, followed by Bb2 and a3. The database also marks Bb2, c3, and Ba3 as problem moves for White, which is useful when you are looking for a reliable reply.
What kind of position does this opening lead to?
It usually becomes a queenside-focused middlegame where development and central control matter more than tactics on move one. If you keep your pieces coordinated, you can handle White’s early space without panic.
How many games feature the Polish Opening: Grigorian Variation?
Over 105K Lichess games have reached the Polish Opening: Grigorian Variation position. White wins 53.3%, Black wins 42.3%, with 4.4% draws — based on real rated games.